Twins Speak

They are 25,with infectious enthusiasm and apparent naiveté. Both scan every word before uttering. And no,they aren’t interested in doing double roles. “It would only work five years down the line when we have established ourselves. But at the start of our career,why would people come and watch two people who look similar?” questions Luv.

Kush prefers Luv basking in the limelight while he takes a backseat for now. “He debuts first; I have a while to go,” he says as he excuses himself for a quick bite. Luv’s debut film,Sadiyaan by Raj Kanwar,is almost ready for release. “It is a family drama that deals with the cultural differences that people had to deal with in the 1970s,” says Luv,biting into a cream cheese bagel. Although he had a choice of being launched by his father,he chose his own path. “I could have starred in a home production but I preferred to find work outside,” he confides.

After being in a boarding school in Kodaikanal for six years,the twins were separated when Luv moved to

Thailand to study advertising,and Kush to New York Film Academy to study film direction. “But we knew all along that we wanted to be actors,” assures Kush who started off his career in the industry by assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Saawariya. He is now preparing for his first film. “It is a period drama directed by Apratim Khare that envisages life in the 1800s; it deals with a boy’s relationship with his father,” he states with excitement.

Luv is the loquacious one,Kush more of an observer. “During our growing up years we looked very similar,” says Kush as he takes off his sunnies. Luv adds,“We were rather made to look similar by our mom who made us wear the same type of clothes. Now we make it a point to look different,” he smiles and politely summons the waiter. “We even hangout with different people except a couple of common friends,” says Kush who considers Esha Deol and Arpita Khan as their closest friends in the industry.

But the twins have similarities too. “We enjoy watching the same kind of movies and topping the list are dad’s Kalicharan,Vishwanath and Shaan. “But we won’t copy him,out of respect for him,” says Kush while looking at his brother for approval.

The brothers have a firm finger on the entertainment pulse of the city but being star kids is not an easy task,they confess. “Honestly,we have never had a material struggle. Our struggle is more to do with coping with expectations from the public and living up to a standard,” says Luv.